mythgods
TRANSCRIPT
Greek and Roman Mythology
A Reviewof
The Principal Gods and Goddesses
What is a myth?
A traditional story rooted in primitive folk beliefs of cultures
Uses the supernatural to interpret natural events
Explains the culture’s view of the universe and the nature of humanity
In the beginning...
…was Chaos (shapeless nothingness)
Chaos had two children:– Night (darkness)– Erebus (death)
“All was black, empty, silent, endless.”
Mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.
And then...
When Love was born, order and beauty began to flourish.
Love created Light and Day. Earth was created.
– She was the solid ground, but also a personality.
The Earth bore Heaven to cover her and be a home for the gods.
The First Parents
Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia) Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus) They had three kinds of children:
– Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 heads
– Three cyclopes– The titans
These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it was unlike any life known to man.
The Titans (The Elder Gods)
There were many of them. Enormous size, incredible strength Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans Rhea: Wife of Cronos Ocean: River that encircled the
world Iapetus: Father of Prometheus,
Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)
The Principal Gods
Cronos and Rhea were parents of– Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)– Poseidon (Neptune)– Hades (Pluto)– Hera (Juno)– Hestia (Vesta)– Demeter (Ceres)
Other Olympians include– Athena (Minerva)– Ares (Mars)– Hebe (Juventas)– Hephaestus (Vulcan)– Apollo (Apollo)– Artemis (Diana)– Hermes (Mercury)– Aphrodite (Venus)– Dionysus (Bacchus)– Persephone
The Olympians
Zeus
Roman Name: Jupiter (also Jove)
Supreme god of the Olympians.
Fathered many characters in mythology
Zeus
Hera
Roman Name: Juno
Zeus’s sister and wife
Jealous protector of marriage
Punished the women Zeus fell in love with
Poseidon
Roman Name: Neptune
God of the Seas and Waters
“The Earthshaker”
Hades
Roman Name: Pluto
God of the Underworld/ Dead
Kidnapped Persephone
Hestia
Roman Name: Vesta
Goddess of Home
Powerful Protector
Demeter
Roman Name: Ceres
Goddess of the Harvest
A Goddess of the Earth
Athena
Roman Name: Minerva
Goddess of Wisdom and War
Sprang from Zeus’s head
Ares
Roman Name: Mars
God of War Son of Zeus
and Hera Bloodthirsty
and merciless
Hephaestus
Roman Name: Vulcan (Mulciber)
God of Fire/Forge
Son of Zeus and Hera
Kind, unlike his brother
Apollo
Roman Name: Apollo
God of Light/Sun and Music
Brother of Artemis
Artemis
Roman Name: Diana
Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt
Sister to Apollo
Hermes
Roman Name: Mercury
Messenger of the Gods
Appears in more myths than any other character
Aphrodite
Roman Name: Venus
Goddess of Love and Beauty
Sprang from the ocean foam
Dionysus
Roman Name: Bacchus
God of Wine Patron god of
the Greek stage
A God of the Earth
Persephone
Roman Name: Proserpina
Goddess of the Underworld
Daughter of Zeus and Demeter
Abducted by Hades
Hebe
Roman Name: Juventas
Goddess of Youth
Cupbearer to the Gods
Restored youth to the aged
Eros
Roman Name: Cupid
Young God of Love
Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus
Iris
Goddess of the Rainbow
Messenger for Zeus and Hera
Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph Electra
The Muses
Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
Inspired artists of all kinds
Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences
“He is happy whom the muses love.”
Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia
The Graces
Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty
“They give life its bloom.”
Aglaia (Splendor) Euphrosyne
(Mirth) Thalia (Good
Cheer)
The Erinnyes (The Furies)
Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)
Three Goddesses of Vengeance– Tisiphone– Alecto– Megaera
They punish evildoers.
The Fates
Roman Name: Parcae, Moirae Three sisters
– Clotho (“The Spinner”)– Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)– Atropos (“The cutter”)
They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.
The Satyrs
Gods of the woods and mountains
“Shepherd gods” Goat men (like
Pan) Companions of
Dionysus They like to drink,
dance, and chase nymphs.
The Gorgons
Three snake-haired monsters
Medusa is most well-known
Their look turns men to stone.
The Centaurs
Half man, half horse
Savage creatures (except Chiron)
Followers of Dionysus
Sources
Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites:– http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html– http://www.pantheon.org/– http://www.messagenet.com/myths/– http://mythman.com/– http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html– http://www.paleothea.com/– http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html
This presentation is for educational purposes only; it has not been and should not be sold or used as a vehicle to make money.